Finnair extends key US routes, opens Minsk

Persuaded by demand, Finnair is extending the operating period for two US routes this autumn.

Finnair is extending the operating period for both its Chicago and San Francisco routes during the coming autumn, pushed by demand for the services, the airline revealed today.

Helsinki-Chicago will be extended until December 3 with two weekly flights. Originally, the route was set to operate from April 19 until October 27, a seasonal service that started in summer 2015.

Helsinki-San Francisco will be extended until December 5, again with two weekly frequencies. It was originally scheduled to be in operation from May 3 to September 27 – a seasonal service that began in summer 2017.

“Last summer, Chicago and San Francisco were very popular with our customers and the demand has also been strong for the upcoming summer season,” explains Juha Järvinen, chief commercial officer.

“We are very excited to offer these two important US destinations to our customers for a longer period in 2018. The extension of the flights will also better cater to the participants planning to attend the Slush tech event [in Helsinki] in early December.”

Finnair operates its flights to the United States in an Atlantic joint business with American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia, offering customers “additional flight choices, better connections and better pricing on transatlantic routes”, Finnair says.

The four carriers currently operate more than 100 daily return flights between Europe and North America.

New to Minsk
Finnair also reveals today that it will open a new, direct, year-round route between Helsinki and Minsk on June 9, twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays with an Embraer 190.

It will continue to cooperate with Belarusian carrier Belavia on the route, with Finnair’s own flights bringing the total number of weekly flights to five.